Spider Bite Treatment

Have you been bitten by a spider? If so, then this page will provide you with some great information about treating spider bites. Even though 80% of bite victims never see what actually bit them, most assume it’s a spider and most point the finger at the Brown Recluse Spider.

Spiders rarely attack people and bite only when threatened, such as when hiding in clothing and being pressed against the skin. Only a few spiders are big enough to inject their venom into your skin and of those spiders, only a few species have venom strong enough to do any damage.

Some experts recommend capturing the spider while others warn against it do to increased risk of being bitten a second time. Having the spider will most definitely help in the identification and treatment process.

If you can’t find the spider and didn’t see what bit you, or if you have multiple bites, it’s probably a TIC, Bed Bug or something other than a spider.

Unfortunately, many Doctors have not had to treat spider bites and information on identification and treatment is often confusing. Below, you’ll find a number of comments that have been left by visitors from around the world; this information may help your doctor with the treatment process.

One visitor, Gerald, stood out among the rest and offered some great information on the treatment of spider bites; I’ll start off with his story and go from there. Feel free to leave comments and I’ll make sure they get posted to the site.

Gerald’s Story:

I could write a book about spider bite treatment, but I’ll get right to the bottom line. My wife and I have been bitten by Brown Recluse spiders several times each over the last 20 plus years thanks to our rural Northwest Arkansas farm lifestyle. Fortunately we knew a quick, safe and economical cure for them so it was a 10 minute distraction to treat it, making it little more than a mosquito bite. We learned it from our vet long ago, after my first bite went poorly.

In our area farm vets combine a high incidence of personal Brown Recluse bites with a lot of medical knowledge. Who could be more motivated or equipped to find the cure? Vets fix themselves by injecting 1/10th CC of Dexamethasone (a cortisone) divided into two or three subcutaneous shots right around the perimeter of the bite inflamed area. [Dexamethasone is a high potency steroid used to decrease swelling and inflammation]. He recently said he had used it to treat himself six or more times in his career plus a few times on his kids and wife. My wife and I together tally about a dozen bites treated that way.

I once asked a farm vet in another town where we take horses how he treated his spider bites and he told me the same thing. Over the years about two dozen of our friends with bites tried our advice with complete success. In total that is almost 50 bites given this treatment that I know of, and every single one started to mend immediately. There were no failures and no negative consequences. Several times a friend told his doctor what he had learned and what he needed done, and the doctor did it, usually saying something like “Sounds reasonable to me. I know the way I’ve been doing it doesn’t work well and there is no risk with such a tiny dose. There is no down side to trying it.” Not all react that way though.

None of the bites caught early needed antibiotic treatment and more than half got none. If a doctor is doing the injections they usually prescribe antibiotics too. If it gets to the open lesion stage you need them. Treatment in the first 48 hours is always best, but it works much later too.

The worst case I’ve seen cured was a woman sharing a hospital room with my mom about 10 years ago. She had a bite on her foot and had been in the hospital about two weeks when we met her. The lesion was about 3 inches across and about every other day the doctor unwrapped it and scraped the necrotic tissue out to her heart rendering screams. He and a consulting doctor had begun to discuss amputation. We told her and her husband and two adult kids of our experiences and advised they consult some out of town doctors. They found a doctor in Springfield, MO that had used cortisone to successfully treat several cases. When her then doctor refused to listen, confer with the other one, or release her, they took her out anyway. About two months later we got a long letter profusely thanking us for butting in. She was by then healed up and on her feet again, feeling we probably saved her foot and maybe more. No doubt that took more than a tenth of a CC.

Other kinds of cortisone might work, but both vets preferred Dexamethasone. It is thin like water so can be injected through tiny insulin needles, an important matter when injecting a super tender spot three times. A tenth of a CC isn’t much. It is about like 1/8th of an inch of a wooden pencil eraser, then split that in thirds per injection. That is a small fraction of a normal systemic dose given for arthritis and such, so risks are also tiny. Visit MedLinePlus and read the precautions so you will know what to advise your doctor about, like pregnancy or fungal infections.

It’s not new knowledge. My bad first bite I mentioned was in the eyebrow. I had a small bump there but thought it was just a rare zit. I also had a bad sinus headache I tried to treat with hot compresses and a muscle massager on the cheek to break it loose. The third day I had to take a flight some states away to deal with another’s emergency. I woke up with one side of my face badly swollen, but had to go. The pain and swelling became worse as time passed and it was two more days of frantic work before I could get to a doctor without causing another crisis. By then I was a mess, but recovery began after a big cortisone shot (unsure what kind) in the hip. The doctor said he usually injected around the bite, but he couldn’t because cortisone injections near an eye can damage it. That doctor knew and discussed site injections with me back then, well before we happened on the topic with our vet. Back then I didn’t grasp the rarity of that doctor’s knowledge of spider bites or my good fortune in going to him for treatment.

Combining my doctor’s information with that of the vets taught us an effective treatment we used occasionally, but had no clue so few others knew it. That only came over time as others told us their past or pending treatment methods. Many we headed off, but some we couldn’t. About 1996 the web came along and gave me a peek into how pervasive ineffective treatment was. The web was slow, and blogs were rare, but all the medical “fact” sites said the “antibiotic only, cut open, scrape, suffer, and live with the crater” was the only effective spider bite treatment. Most shared verbatim wording. I thought I ought to write up what I knew and get it out there somehow, but wasn’t sure how, so I procrastinated.

Today I’m re-motivated, because this month a friend had a recent spider bite on his finger treated the old way and it turned into the typical horror story. That led me to begin searching the web for sites that gave good treatment advice to refer others to. I was shocked. Twelve years after I looked last time, nothing is better. Only the volume of horror stories has grown. Twelve years ago a letter like this might have altered our current reality. Well, maybe by 2020 ——. There is very little mention of treatment with cortisone or especially site injection. A couple of visitors on this site www.badspiderbites.com/brown-recluse-spider-bite/ like #67 received systemic cortizone treatment and it fixed them but that’s about it.

By telling you this I am not advocating self medication! I am however, suggesting that you ask your doctor how your bite will be treated; if the old way is mentioned (cut and scrape), then offer the information found on this page. If your doctor is closed minded and is not open to suggestions, then it may not be a bad idea to seek the advice of another doctor.

A doctors knowledge is based on experience and not all doctors have had experience with treating spider bites. We found that the emergency room and after hours clinic doctors seem to be more open minded and have steered several friends in this direction who later reported back that their ER doctor said “sure, that is how we treat spider bites anyway”, and not just locally. For example, a relative was helping move someone to Atlanta. While loading he was bitten on the stomach. Days later and the night before they were leaving at 6 AM I saw him and he was worried about it. I told him to go to an ER along the way or once there and what to ask for. In Atlanta they injected around the site, saying that was their normal treatment, and he was healed in few days. If that fails too, ask a farm vet how he treats his own bites and what doctor he suggests.

I’m not a doctor, and I’m not giving medical advice beyond “it’s OK to shop for the right doctor” but this treatment approach needs exposure, discussion, and trials. I believe widespread use could eliminate untold suffering and costs to people like earlier writers to these blogs. If you have any questions I’ll be watching this site for discussion. If you want to discuss something privately, Jim has my email address.

Thanks for sharing Gerald!

Spider Bite Treatment at Home used by Gerald:

Gerald offered the above information to help those seeking medical attention with treatment suggestions that can be offered to the doctor. The information below is what Gerald and his wife use to prevent the need for a trip to the hospital.

NOTE: We are in no way suggesting that bite victims try treatment without consulting a doctor first and in fact, we strongly urge you to seek the advice of your doctor immediately after being bitten. However, when doing so, and after reading Gerald’s story, you’ll have information that you can present to your doctor that he/she may approve or disapprove of. I’ll repeat this statement at the end of Gerald’s home treatment.

My wife is hyper-sensitive to all kinds of stings and bites. A bee sting that is ten minutes of pain to most of us would usually cause so much swelling a trip to the doctor for a cortizone shot was needed. The doctor prescribed an Epi-pen (Epinephrine emergency injector) in case she reacted even more severely sometime.

Spider bite kit

That all changed when we discovered the Sawyer Bite & Sting Kit, also called the Extractor. Imagine a big plastic syringe with a cup on the nose that somehow creates great suction when you push the plunger down. It sucks lymph and poisons right back out the same holes they went in without need for cutting. Routine stings and bites quit hurting her in 15 minutes and no swelling occurs.

Though primarily a snake bite tool, it is just amazing for plain bites and stings from bugs of all kinds, cleansing small puncture wounds, and especially poisonous spider bites. We have an Extractor in every car, truck, tractor, and building on the ranch. By the way, you can buy them in the sporting goods department of most Wal-Mart stores for $13.97 last time I checked. (Incidentally, I have no connection to either Wal-Mart or Sawyer)

Venom Extraction with the Extractor

To use, select a clear cup that fits the bite site and press/twist fit it into the nose of the yellow barrel. When you apply the Extractor the skin humps up like half a marble from its power. I’m surprised it doesn’t cause a hickey but it never does. You may suck some blood out and that’s OK. Especially if applying to a puncture wound. A few minutes is usually enough. The disposable razor is there to shave a spot if hair is breaking its seal.

Because this is mechanical removal of venom or contamination, it can work on almost any kind of skin breach, unless already bleeding too much to help. From splinters to Black Widow bites it has got to help if used promptly.

I once attended the Waurika, OK rattlesnake festival. There was a small sunken stage with about 400 rattlers piled around and a half dozen guys (women are to smart?) wading among them and doing unreasonable things with them. The point is, they had some EMTs standing there, each with cocked Sawyer units in hand.

Two warnings: Don’t get blood inside the yellow barrel, or get water in it during cleanup. That can damage it. It is a complex mechanism inside with springs, seals, lube, etc. Also, too much force attaching the cup can crack the barrel nose causing an air leak and ruining its value. Glue can fix it usually.

Don’t confuse the Extractor with those little rubber cup snake bite kits that have been around for at least 60 years which contain a little pointed razor for cutting open the bite site before trying to suction out the venom. Those old kits contain instructions such as “Relax, stay calm, keep your heart rate down” and “start cutting X’s on yourself”; In my opinion, such kits kits are so bad it ought to be a crime to sell them to the unsuspecting. If you check the medical sites like Emedicine, Medicinenet, etc., you’ll find such kits are not recommended but they do say good things about the Extractor.

Unfortunately the medical sites don’t recognize the Extractor’s value in treating spider bites, where they specifically caution against doing any kind of suction treatment. That isn’t surprising since most of their other Brown Recluse advice is wrong too. I wrote the earlier story about the quick, effective treatment by Dexamethasone injected around the bite. Actually, we now reserve that for older more advanced bites. If we get a bite now, we normally know by the delayed burning pain in a few hours. Usually we can see the twin fang marks on the red mound also. We use the Extractor on it, pulling out one or two tiny beads of lymph containing the venom, then put a good dollop of cortisone creme on the spot, cover that with a bandaid, and by morning the bite is history.

Here is why I think it works so well for spider bites, and is also relevant to the Dexamethasone site injection method too. The bites are extremely shallow, unlike a fang injected snake bite. The venom is deposited in the first under layers of the skin served only by the very slow moving lymphatic system, not the fast moving blood circulatory system, and there it stays for many days. It and its associated bacterial infection don’t start moving much until the necrotic hole eats it way deep enough to get into the faster circulatory system.

The early swelling and pain up a limb plus fever and overall illness make one think that the venom has traveled a lot, but I don’t think that is true. Most of that is the allergic reaction to a small invasive injury it recognizes as a great threat. The swelling and heat is the body’s soldiers massing for battle.

The venom is usually injected inside the shell of another bug where it paralyzes them and pre-digests its insides so the spider can suck it out later. I think that the venom stays at the contact surface between the digested tissue and the healthy tissue walls of the lesion. It is not inside the good tissue, just on its surface and in the most recently digested tissue. On a small lesion of the whitehead stage (not yet open to bacterial invasion) a good suction effort seems to remove the venom with the digested tissue and some surrounding lymph. Top it off with the cortisone cream and a bandaid and you are fixed. If it has reached the open lesion stage, its time for Dexamethasone.

DISCLAIMER: We are in no way suggesting that bite victims try treatment without consulting a doctor first and in fact, we strongly urge you to seek the advice of your doctor immediately after being bitten.

Gerald’s story should serve as information that you can pass along to your doctor. Your doctor may find this information helpful. You should always seek the advice of your doctor.

Comments

Wendy Lincolnsays:

Today at lunch in Stuttgart, Germany, I was bitten by a very small spider. I assume it was a baby because there were several of them on the table. Being in Germany, I have no idea what kind of spider it was. It stung when it bit me, but it was so small I am afraid I killed it swatting it off my leg. It immediately started itching and turned red. My husband squeezed the bump about 10 minutes later and got a little brown piece out of it. On my way home, about an hour later, I got nauseated and felt faint. When I got home I rested and found this site. Being in Germany, I have no idea what bit me and there seems no site to tell me. I feel it was very small so if it was poisonous, I doubt I will die. But I used the advice given here and washed it with antibiotic soap, put ICHTHAMMOL DRAWING SALVE OINTMENT on it and covered it with a band-aid. Do you think that was a good idea? I figured if there was any poison in it, it would draw it out. Please email me with any comments or advice. I am feeling better now after taking a nausea pill.

Ticosays:

From California and was bitten by what I’m assuming is a spider, swollen and red with the skin around it peeling off and a small hole oozing out, it’s been about 5 days and it recently popped leaving a rather small little volcano like hole, before popping it was nearly completely black where the hole is now

Suzanne Anulis Rochester,NYsays:

I got bitten by poisonous spider on April 21, 2012, saw Dr. on Monday April 23, 2012. Bite was HOT, RED, SWOLLEN, looked like white tail spider bite, had diarehhia , nausious, feverish. Dr. said he could do nothing, so I called a friend who is a Homeopath, and we made a decoction of my first urine in the morning, and I put 3 drops of this remedy under my tongue Tuesday morning, and INSTANTLY, the pain went away, and the reddness stopped, and I felt alot better in one hour…Today is May 7, 2012 and all I can say is the bite is now the size of a dime and healing. Still doing 3 drops in morning and 3 drops in evening.

vanessasays:

my daughter is 1 and has a big red spot on her arm the size of a half dollar. and a greyish looking circle the size of nickle. and a dime sizes pimple looking spot on her cheek i think she got bit by a spider but not sure. she is itcching it every second and is crying of pain. should i take her to the doctor??

Michelle Csays:

I was awoken at : AM with a sharp pain in my upper back. Mostly a sleep, I tried pushing that area against cushion. Bad Idea! Seconds later my lower back got a sharp pain. I sat up and shook my pajama top, and layed back down. Then all of a sudden I feel something crawling on my hair heaed to my face, I sat up and flicked my hair several times, and was like what in the world.

My back was hurting, and I decided to turn on the TV. I looked down at the floor and saw a spider walking toward my lab, so I grabbed a shoe and smacked it. by this time my back pain was getting pretty intense. i gotup and went to the bathroom to look at my back, the bite right below my shoulder blade had a red spot that had already got a scab, then it was pale around that, with a blotchy red ringaround that.

The lower back had two sets of destitive fang marks. Then it hit me, It was the spider that bit me. I ran to the Kitchen and grabbed a container to put the spider in. i got on the web andpunched in light brown spider with black spots. And of course a brown recluse popped up. I got dressed and went to an urgent care center. By the time I got there, I was having re-occuring feeling of being bit again, shortness of breath,pain shooting to my shoulder, and could not raise my right arm without intense pain at the upper bite mark.

I told them my symptoms and gave them the spider. The Doc came and spoke to me, and said my symptons did not match a brown recluse, and she stated,I was probably one of the few who allergic to spider bites. By this time, my chest and back felt like it was in a vice grip, my neck was stiff, and my blood pressure was high. She said I was probably having a panic attack, sent me home with Hydroxyzine and a muscle relaxer, and said the reaction should just decrease in a couple of days. The hydro relieved the vice grip effect, but by night time the creepy crawleys started.

I could not press my back against anything, felt like the backof the couch had red hot brand irons Today I woke and felt like my muscles had their own wrestling match,and I lost. I checked the bites and the circle effect was gone and I had red blotches below the bite heading inward toward center of my back, about 1 and a half to 2 inches in width. My right arm is very weak, have cramps in my stomach and my right foot was tingling.

By 6:00 PM the vice grip is back, my eyes hurt,and labored breathing. I decided to punch my symptons as a search, and it kept bringing up a Black Widow Bite. Knowing their were Black Widows and Brown Widows, I was baffled. So I decided to type in Brown with Black spots Black Widowand it gave me adolescent Black Widow,I clicked images and found a picof my shiny little dead attacker. I just checked my bite again because I am having pains in the middle of my back. There is a new set of red blotches in the center of my back. My back is hot again.

Not sure why this is happening, but I am going to give the Urgent Care a call back in the AM and let them know, and ask for email so i can send the pic of the adolscent. Not sure what else I am suppose to take prescription wise. I am posting tonight because I saw on the Black Widow BIO, that the adolescents have no venom. Tell my back that please! As well as making people aware that some doctors would just try and find a pic of the spider instead of going by the facts of what symptoms the patient has.

Sticking with my symptoms and not giving up, when you know something is very wrong will hopefully get me better, faster.

PS: I am in week 3 of the Shingles virus, so at least I wont get that from the spider bite.

Daniellesays:

I believe my daughter was bit by a spider but I don’t know for sure. It progressed from what to be a small bug bite(on her upper butt cheek) into a golf ball size abscess in 10 hrs then over night another abscess and the entire tissue on that side was affected. She also has little purple dots on the tips of her toes and seem to be getting darker. She is in the hospital receiving treatment but I am very curious as to what kind of critter would have caused this type of reaction. If you have any information please let me know. We live in Southern Illinois surrounded by corn fields and livestock. The bite does not have the tissue decaying or eating away just very hot to the touch,deep red and very very sore…

Isabellesays:

I have three bites on my cheek their not red but itch when i itch them it hurts I dont know what to do!!!:(

Sam Bsays:

I’ve attached a picture of what I believe may be a spider bite. I noticed it yesterday morning, and it is getting worse. I have 4 bites in total, on the same leg. The other 2 are located on the back of my leg, relatively the same distance apart.

In recent months we have had our house sprayed because we found 3 large spiders, believed to be wolf or fishing spiders. We live in Ontario in a wooded area near water and it is believed that is why they got into our house. I was wondering if you could help identify what kind of spider has bitten me and if I should get it checked out, if it is a spider bite .

Nikki Rsays:

I got bit by something while I was camping one weekend. I got not on my back right below my shoulder blade. I didn’t know I got bit by anything until the next day my back started itching. It was just a tiny spot that itched so I took off my shirt and checked in the mirror and there was nothing there. It felt like a pimple that was under the skin and hadn’t broken through yet.

On Tuesday I checked again and this time the spot was about the size of a dime and red. By Friday the wound was the size of baseball and it was bright red and extremely hot to the touch. I went to the doctor later that day and he wasn’t sure what it was. He said it didn’t look like a tick bite but he didn’t see dang marks so he wasn’t sure what it was, but he said he was going to prescribe antibiotics just to be safe and he gave me a tetanus shot as well. I went to work that day feeling fine and by the time I got home that night and felt terrible. Two hours later I had the chills and I had a temp of 104.

I slept for 16 hours that night and ended up calling off work the next day. I got better but my bite got bigger and redder and eventually it started to dry and get really scales. Now two years later I have a very faint scar that you can’t really notice until I get really tan. I guess the antibiotics worked but I wish I would have known about the other ways to treat I would’ve tried those.

Pattysays:

Several years ago, at least 30, I went to the doctor for a spider bite. He gave me an antihistamine shot and an antibiotic. I have recommended the same to those who might have a spider bite and they said it worked.

I just had a suspicious place on my cheek (not my face) and took a child’s dose of Benadryl (antihistamine) for 2 nights and the redness is going away. I think I’ll take a 3rd dose tonight for good measure. I would have taken an adult dose but I didn’t have any. I keep it around for my dogs and grandchildren.

Jimsays:

A little over two months ago I felt a stinging pain on the inside of my left foot close to my big toe. Later that day my foot began to hurt and that evening when I took my socks and shoes off the inside of my left foot was deep red and a little swollen with a very tiny hole in the center. The next day my foot where the redness was swelled up much more and my foot began to throb.

My wife took me to a minor emergency place and the doctor said he did think it was a spider bite. He prescribed me an anti biotic to take and another pill to help reduce the swelling. The swelling did go away and so did some of the redness. Two weeks later around Christmas the wound on my foot became like a blister and then some dead skin peeled off of it. The wounded side of my foot began to swell again and turned red. I then went to my regular doctor and she prescribed another round of antibiotics and told to soak my foot in Epson salts after doing this it go better the swelling and redness went away my foot looked normal again.

About a week after this the wounded side of my foot began to swell again and turn deep red and hurts again . Now my doctor wants me to see a surgeon to have the would cut and drained. Any suggestions I should try would be appreciated. My wound on my foot resembles the wound in the picture labeled Bite on Phil’s arm.

Rikki Newmansays:

I got bit by something, on my shin. Monday it looked like a mosquito bite. Then Saturday it has puss coming out and it was red and very sore all around. it is even on the back of my knee. It never iched. went to next care and they gave me an antibiotic. and they said it was a spider. That is it, they did not tell me to stay off my feet or to put ice on it. what should I do. HELP!

HOWARDsays:

I was bitten today while gardening. I was wearing gloves, but I believe a spider somehow dropped into my glove and bit me on the back of the right hand midway between the wrist and the pinky finger fist knuckle. I have been bitten numerous times before and I am highly allergic to insect bites and have epipen syringes if needed, however, this bite is extremely painful.

More-so than any others I have experienced. When first observed, the bite appeared as two small reddened bumps each about the configuration of a half of a pea. Since then, about 4 hours have passed and the back of the hand has become hot ,painful and constantly tingly and the epidermis has a very different texture to it. It seem very moist and clammy at the bite location.

It is mildly swollen and two initial puncture wounds are visible about 1/4″ apart. I have developed a headache and my face feels flushed and warmer than normal. I don’t like to take any medication at all unless it is absolutely necessary. Doe anyone think I should be concerned or am I just a wuss?

Lily Johnroesays:

I recently suffered what I assumed was a bite. I went to the doctor’s, and just like you stated above, she knew nothing about them. She looked at them, asked questions like “does anyone else have them”… well it’s not ringworm. So, because that didn’t help, I researched spider bites and discovered this looks exactly like whats on my forehead and right lower cheek.
I found a solution thru my research that healed the bite within a matter of weeks:
3 times a day
wash infected area with warm soapy water. I used the antibacterial hand soap
Rinse
Apply a coat of Hydrogen Peroxide with a clean Q-tip. Always use a clean end when touching bites.
Wait 2 approx. 2 minutes… rinse
apply a liberal amount of Betadine antiseptic. Betadine costs approx $12 however Wal-mart has their version for $6. I used the $6 one and it works great.
Wait 2 minutes and rinse with warm water
pat dry
apply cortizone and apply a band-aid loosely so the pad in middle does not stick to wound.

Thank you for all the advice…. I would have never been able to heal myself without it!!!

katelen riddlesays:

I went to the doctor yesterday with what I thought was staph. the doctor said it was a spider bite and possibly a brown recluse. he prescribed me prednisone (steroid) and amoxicillin (anti-biotic). the head on my bite has grown and my aunt and my husband both told me to pop it and let it drain. I did. however I’m not sure that was the best thing to do. should i have popped it or not??? please help i really hope i did not make things worse!!!!

shabreesays:

this page was very informational about bites.

about 22 yrs ago I got bit by a brown recluse. we had went camping in ca. it felt like someone had hit me in the middle of the forehead with a rock. it woke me up in the middle of the night, and I had thought my husband had accidental jammed me with his elbow. the next day I got sick to my stomach, it had swollen to the size of a gulf ball, red but no blisters. a week later it started to a scab looking thing on my forehead so i went to the E. R room and he said it was a brown recluse bite and gave me a shot.

It left a small dent in my forehead, about the size of a dime. Now 22 years later, at the top of my forehead, next to my hair line, little blister looking rash, no itching, but it does hurt and my whole forehead is swelling. the blisters are starting to scab and it starting to go further into the hair line.

has anyone ever had a reaction to a bite years later. I don’t know what else it could be. about two months ago, the scar started getting sensitive to the touch. I would like to get an email back from someone who might know.

jainsays:

I would like to know about the best treatment place in India (Kerala) against spider bite.my mum did an operation and plastic surgery also, but not yet cured even after these 6 moths. Please help me.

pedrosays:

Okay I got a bite or something on the below of my eyebrow.

AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW TO GET IT OFF PLEASE JUST HELP ME!

Cambriasays:

We have little cute jumping spiders here in Hawaii, that bite nasty bites! This is my second time, I looked here after two days. I tried a flat slice of onion taped to it for a couple hours, it is WAY better, I will try again for the rest of the night, and maybe the tea and echinacea poultice, if needed. I think to treat with such treatments asap instead of waiting can make a big difference in the speed of healing and lack of a scar.

It would be good if someone wrote up the treatments that have worked and list them at the top of this site, instead of reading these horror stories trying to find the treatments in between. That would be more professional and helpful. Mahalo!

Angelasays:

Hey. This site is awesome, thanks so much. I contacted my GP because I thought I was bitten by a spider on Thursday. Med system here is so backed up and understaffed, she couldn’t take me and told me to go to a walk-in clinic. So I did… and the doc there said I was bit by a spider (I didn’t mention to her that was what I thought because I didn’t want to put that in her head before seeing it).

The bite is on my left lower back. Fine. I have no idea what kind it was. Problem is, is I have a secondary rash down my left leg, and I don’t know if I got bit a few dozen times, or if it’s an allergic reaction? The rash is spreading daily. I have muscle pain, and I feel like there are needles in the back of my leg. I’ve read all the posts here, saw a couple of people with a rash… but… not sure this is ‘normal’ or if I should be worried?

I’ve lost some range of motion in my left leg, and it feels like massive bruising in my left hip and left ankle, like I’ve been kicked by a football team. And the rash continues to creep down my leg. It was just down to my mid thigh yesterday, and now is just below my knee. It’s hard to see since it’s only on the back of my leg.

I have an issue trusting walk-in docs only because they are so overworked, and they are people too… so… I’m not 100% sure this doc was only guessing. She gave me a topical antibiotic cream with anti-inflammatory in it, think there’s cortisone in it as well, and told me to apply it twice a day. She didn’t see any sign of infection either. Any comments/help/suggestions would be great! I don’t have anything oozing out of me… yet… knock on wood… though I’m SOOO extremely itchy, especially at the actual large bite site (which is about the size of a quarter).

And now.. after reading posts, I’m gonna go grab a potato and throw it on, and get myself some meat tenderizer tomorrow. All my research online has shown that spider bites are rare, and when they do bite, it’s even more uncommon for them to bite more than once. Thoughts?

April S.says:

I CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THIS SITE…I was bitten several days ago by what we believe was a Hobo spider, it’s similar to a Brown Recluse. I have spider traps out each fall that always catch several Hobos in my house, so we are assuming that is the critter that got me.

From the following experience, I learned that you should INSIST ON A DEXAMETHASONE shot and I coupled that with the use of potato slices to help draw out the venom. I tried using the venom plunger that you suggested, but it had been four days since the bites and so not much venom came out, infact I could not see any, probably a little too late to use that approach. MY STORY… At day 4 after the two bites, we began noticing some disturbing changes in the bites.

They grew from the size of a pencil eraser to a nickel/quarter size and became blistery with a raw fleshy look and with a dark center. I began researching on the web and came across THIS SITE. With your printed article in hand, I went to an emergency instacare-clinic and was seen by a Dr. who was known for his treatment of skin ailments & rashes ect… He looked at the bites and suggested only a topical steroid.

I mentioned that it had doubled in size overnight and I was concerned that it might do so again, and that I would like to have the shots. He refused. I asked why and he said, “I just won’t do it, I don’t have Dexamethasone in the clinic on hand, and even if I did I wouldn’t do it because anytime you inject anything in the skin it can cause a problem.”

Well, the poisonous spider’s venom and bacteria was now eating my flesh, they started the problem, certainly from the evidence stated in the BadSpiderBites article a small steroid shot couldn’t make things much worse. He tried to placate me and said, “I could be wrong but I doubt it, it will probably be getting better by tomorrow with just some topical steroid ointment. He said it was a very strong oinment so I should not get it on any facial skin and it would do the trick. “If it gets worse by tomorrow you could always come back in.”

I chuckled inside, come back in pay another $50.00 and not have you do anything different than what you are willing to do right now! I conferred with my husband, who has a medical background and we decided to follow this doctor’s course overnight, by using this strong topical steroid cream, BUT IF IT DID NOT LOOK BETTER tomorrow morning, we would find someone to give us the Dexamethasone shot.

{I had read several senarious on the web of this very thing happening, doctors giving an antibiotic and ointment and sending the patient home… because many doctors don’t have the answers.} I filled the topic steroid ointment prescription that evening and went home put it on as directed. The next morning the bites had grown even larger, much more red blistering was occurring and they were larger blisters now, you could see that where the initial bites were, the flesh in this area was sinking in {cratering}.

My husband took one look and was surprised at what was happening even with the strong steroid cream. We found someone that morning who would give the Dexamethasone shot and I began wrapping sliced potatoes on my leg to draw out the venom. I changed the potatoes almost every 40 minutes for the first evening and throughout the night I changed twice. After about 5 hours you could see that the bites were NO LONGER GROWING and the hot red looking area looked with it’s blisters appeared calmer and not so shocking to the eye.

My husband and I were both very surprised. I wanted to avoid taking an antibiotic if possible which I know would have been the course if I had not stopped the direction we were headed, as there was puss forming inside the puncture area. FROM THIS EXPERIENCE I don’t think you want to mess around with toxic spider bites. I can’t say THANKS ENOUGH for this site.

I hope that this story helps others insist on having the shot. A nurse mentioned to me that sometimes pharmacists would be willing to give shots if you perhaps took this site’s information in and had them read it. A very sincere thanks… April S.

April S. from HOBO Spidervillesays:

I was bitten several days ago by what we believe was a Hobo spider, I usually catch two to three of these in spider traps in my house each fall, it’s similar to a Brown Recluse. As I am one who believes in and practices wholeistic, preventative healthcare, my first reaction was to seek help there. From the following experience, I learned that you should use a combination of folk remedies BUT INSIST from a doctor that you receive the Dexamethasone shot.

MY STORY… At day 3 after the two bites, we began noticing some disturbing changes in the bites. They grew from the size of a pencil eraser to a nickel/quarter size and became blistery with a raw fleshy look and with a dark center. I began researching on the web and came across this very site. With your printed article in hand, I went to an emergency instacare-clinic and was seen by a Dr. who was known for his treatment of skin ailments & rashes ect… He looked at the bites and suggested only a topical steroid.

I mentioned that it had doubled in size overnight and that it may do so again, I would prefer to have the shots. He refused. I asked why and he said, “I just won’t do it, I don’t have Dexamethasone in the clinic on hand, and even if I did I wouldn’t do it because anytime you inject anything in the skin it can cause a problem.” Well, the poisonous spider’s venum and fang’s bacteria which was now eating my flesh started the problem, certainly from the evidence stated in the article a small steroid shot couldn’t make things much worse. He tried to placate me and said, “I could be wrong but I doubt it, put the steroid cream on, and if it gets worse by tomorrow you could always come back in.

I chuckled inside, come back in, pay another $50.00 and not have you do anything different than what you are willing to do right now! I had read several senarious on the web of this very thing happening because many doctors don’t have the answers. I filled the topic steroid ointment that he prescribed went home and put it on as directed. My husband and I agreed that if it didn’t look a little bit better the next day we would find someone to do the shots. The next morning the bites had grown even larger, much more large blistering was occurring, more redness and you could see where the initial bites were at the flesh was sinking in {cratering}.

My husband who has a medical background took one look and was surprised at what was happening even with the strong steroid cream. That morning we found someone who would give the shot I began wrapping sliced potatoes on my leg to draw out the venom. I changed them almost every 40 minutes for the first evening and throughout the night I changed twice. After about 5 hours you could see that the bites were no longer growing and were healing. We were both surprised.

I wanted to avoid taking an antibiotic if possible which I know would have been the course if I had not stopped the direction we were headed. I can’t thank you enough for this site and for helping us get educated. I hope that my experience will prompt others to follow the Dexamethasone route and find a doctor who will assist them. {Someone told me that you can call around to local pharmasists and see if they will give you the injection if you can’t find a doctor who will.}

Thanks again for this wonderful help!!! Hopefully I can help others in my community by sharing your info as needed! Sincerely…April

Didi~ :3says:

Hello reader,

I recently got a spider bite.(yesterday) So, I was at P.E., and I was sitting out because I “twisted my ankle” along with my friend, (outside). And I felt a bug on my neck and I swept it off, Then my friend said, “Well, there’s a bug on you shorts!” And i look down and a tiny neon green spider with an auburn colored dot on its abdomen. And then I… I start freaking out by jumping idiotically… LOL, but then I looked back down and it was making a web to the floor. It’s weird because, The two dots are one inch apart, and the spider was tiny! And around it, is a smelling circle. And it is warm to the touch. I cleaned it with…i forgot but then i blotted hydrocortozone (XD) on. Can you help me with some clues of what spider it was or how to cure? I am going to the doctors to see. Thank-you!

Sandisays:

I have what I think are two spider bites on my palm. They have a sharp stabbing pain that will not go away. I just got the bites 10 minutes ago. Please help.

Chris Nsays:

Where can I get Dexamethasone if I don’t have a prescription? I can’t find a local doctor who will give me a prescription to have on hand before (or if) I get bitten.

arnoldsays:

today I got bite from .. i don’t know which spider, and it has 2 small little bites and I’m kinda scared.. what do I do? and its redness all around and itchy.

Someonesays:

yesterday i got bit by a spider when i was sleeping now it left red all around the bite in the night i saw the spider that i think bit me sorry help me i don’t know what to do it hurts!!

GGsays:

In response to post by Andy Gloria, Dec 10, 2010. To anyone reading this post ( and a few others here, too), the description sounds very much like a case of MRSA. This must be treated professionally!! In addition, all clothing and bedding must be washed in hottest water possible ( with added bleach) as any area the MRSA infection has touched could infect again. And, if you’ve touched this infection, all surfaces available to you must be wiped down with disinfectant, as you are spreading the infection. Your “bite” could be a case of MRSA! Quite dangerous!!

Dottiesays:

I work in a clinic for a homeopath and I myself used to live in an apartment where myself and my husband got NASTY spider bites (a couple hobo bites and one brown recluse). I have also seen other people, including children, overcome horrible spider bites as well. We treated our bites with products from the clinic that you can purchase over the internet from other vendors (I’m not endorsing this to make a profit off of anyone. I just know this worked for us.).

1. We used Japanese bamboo patches on our feet. You can buy these online but make sure the patches contain bamboo! Many foot patches you find on the market have other herbs that don’t do the job. Use the patch on the arch of the foot at night and on the back of the ankle during the day. This helps slowly pull out the toxins from the bite.

2. Premier Research Labs has a mudding protocol we use often in the clinic. We use the Medi-Body Pack clay mixed with the Heavy Metal Nano Detox (the name has now changed to Detox ND) and apply the mud pack to the bite site for 10 minutes. This is repeated only 1-2 times per day. This also helps suck out the toxins from the local bite area. Again, you should be able to find these online.

Doing these two things on a daily basis has dramatically reduced the inflammation of the spider bite and within a week (or less) the bite is gone.

My husband was working on moving a wood pile this was years ago. He was bitten and didn’t realize it unitl a week later. His whole leg was swollen even though the bite was right above his work boots. The bite site was dark and had enlarged to the size of a quarter.

I took one look at it and grabbed a large 8 oz black tea bag. Soaked in very hot water to bring out the properties of the tea and made him place the tea bag on the wound. I made him do this the rest of the evening and by 10pm and we started treatment around 4pm the swelling had left his leg, and the head of the bite and oozed out of the wound completely.

In 2006 while cleaning out my father in laws little shed from his apartment we had moved them out of I was wear flip flops of course. Something bite me didn’t have a clue and while at work the top of my foot started to itch. It drove me nuts and two days later it was the size of a dime and purple around the edges. I immediately got a tea bag and some echinachea and golden seal caps mixed all together and made a hot poultice. Left this on for hours. Then also I took echinachea tincture with golden seal every hour for 3 days a tsp in a cup of tea. My enlarging bite healed and I still have a scar.

On Easter I was pulling weed and pulling up my thorn less blackberry starts to move them and transplanted them and while watering something stung me on my left foot. So I got the EG caps made a past and put it on a band aide. Cleared up the swelling from what I assumed was a wasp bite. I noticed the next morning my right side of my right shin was itching and had a bad bite. Assumed it was flea and that I had been suffer allergy probs since couldn’t replace my allergy tincture on Easter. I put EG on it with a band aid thought nothing of it. Monday night was feeling faint seeing spots and nausea. So got some EG caps started taking them and Ester C 2000 mg three times a day. By Friday there were three clear bite sites and they were really hard and expanding hardness in under the skin. Got two tea bags hot water and a small plastic bag. I applied the hot bags and put the plastic over and wrapped with ace bandage to hold in place. Stop the dizziness and nausea, took down the bite sizes also. This morning took off and didn’t replace. Got the same symptoms again. Reapplied and took more EC caps and more Ester C. No more wooziness. Will continue the treatment and I know that one of the giant redwood roots that was at the back of the garden area had a very large nest of BW spiders that my husband had killed in the am. So this is different then the dark enlarging edges as the other bites were. Much stronger also more bite sites also so I assume must be the widow and will continue to treat since I seem to have better luck with my tea and eg paste then medical providers.

I also have been bitten by a young rattler but it was during some very cold weather and it was strange no reaction to some very defined bites that were smaller versions of large snake bites. I also was on large doses of EG tincture for other health issues. No clue but I know that prior to modern medicine, man has treated effectively for thousands of years different venom’s and illnesses. I know that my usual instincts are good on treating. Hope this info helps some one in the future. Thanks for offer more info the med sites. Appreciate you doing this.

Monasays:

I was bite during the night while I was asleep. I never felt the bite, but I noticed the next day I had what felt like a blister at the base of my neck. I was puzzled by this since it didn’t hurt, so I figured it must be some kind of blister. Instead of getting better it started getting larger and that’s when I became alarmed. I applied “Indian Herb” also known as “Black Salve” ( a black paste like substance) to my sore and covered it with a large bandage (Black salve paste is used on livestock to remove skin cancers). I left it on over night and washed it off the next day. This stuff is amazing and it is now improving, although it looks terrible I can tell you, it is now healing. Since I never found the spider that bite me, from the pictures and characteristics of the different spider bites I’ve seen on the Internet, I believe it was a brown recluse spider that bit me.

Black Danube Waltzsays:

I am recovering from my second major recluse bite. Both times I was bitten in my sleep. Most of the remedies I use are listed here already, so I won’t repeat. But I haven’t noticed something essential to this issue–avoiding the bites in the first place.

I’m talking about homemade spider repellent. I took the following section wholesale from ehow.com… didn’t know if html was allowed here.

“Spiders can be exterminated or repelled without the use of pesticides or harsh chemicals. Spiders avoid a wide number of natural oils extracted from plants, herbs and fruits, including citrus fruits, lavender, peppermint, citronella, cinnamon, tea trees and cloves. Pure forms of these oils may be purchased at health food stores, and most are inexpensive.

Place a few drops of any of these oils, in any combination, into a spray bottle. Add a squirt of liquid detergent and fill the bottle with water. Spray the mixture on cobwebs, around doors and windows, around the lawn and garden and on any surfaces where spiders lurk. In addition to having a pleasant aroma, this mixture is nontoxic and safe to use around children and pets. The combination of coconut oil and white vinegar also makes an effective spray for repelling spiders. As oils may stain or cause spots, test the mixture on a small, hidden area of carpets, curtains or upholstered furniture before spraying the entire surface.

Another natural remedy for repelling spiders involves soaking pipe or chewing tobacco in boiling water, and then cooling and straining it. Combine two parts of the tobacco-infused solution with one part liquid soap and spray it on cobwebs. As the nicotine in tobacco is a toxin, this remedy is not child- or pet-safe.”

Arlene Hanburysays:

A herpetologist told us to place a slice of onion over a sting and it will remove the pain and inflammation in seconds. I use this treatment for wasp stings, red ants bites, and other stinging insects. It is stinky but works great! I always keep an onion in the refrigerator just in case.

dean planksays:

I was bitten 60 days ago. I thought it was a bee sting under my coat. 12 hrs later my feet were on fire
and swollen. I remembered the sting or bite and thought maybe I was allergic and took a benedril
by the next day I knew it was a spider. Using charcoal, comfrey and echineasea as a compress. 2 weeks of ice packs was the only way to sleep. pain was great only at rest. today it is smaller than a dime and healing from the size of my hand. I believe it may depend on how much and if one is allergic.
definitely do not want to go through this again.

Andy Gloriasays:

I’m 20 years old and live in los angeles california. I recently just got bit during sleep on saturday night december 11 by what I think was a spider. The bite did not wake me up but I knew something had bitten me because I had noticed a small red bump on the back of my thigh the next day on Sunday december 12. as I was looking down at my legs I noticed that I had another bite on my other leg on the inner side of my thigh towards the side. and 2 other small bites on my belly.

I know for a fact that they are not pimples. since I didn’t have medical insurance I waited with fear and did nothing about my bites hoping that it would go away (how stupid is that). It wasn’t until today that I found this site. 4 days have passed already and I couldn’t stand the pain anymore. I couldn’t really walk and I had a fever of 99 and I had night sweats. I’m not too worried about the small bites on my belly but the bites on my legs are alarming disgusting and painful. The bite on the back of my thigh has grown to a size of a quarter.

The bite is swollen, red, itchy with a scab in the middle with a purpleish redish black color surrounding it. The skin around the bite has become hard. It wasn’t until I read articles on this site warning people not to pop and squeeze the bite. But I had already slightly softly squeezed the bite. I didn’t have to squeeze hard because stuff started coming out easily. It was disgusting. Yellowish greenish puss started oozing out and then a little blood and then it looked like as if there was a thick puss like substance in the middle of the hole. That stuff is hard to get out cus it just doesn’t ooze out its more of a sticky creamy thick puss. I don’t really know how to explain it but maybe most of you would know what I’m talking about.

I cleaned it with alcohol and paraxyde. At this point I’m freaking out because I don’t want to loose a leg. I went into the doctors today Thursday december 16 although I’m writting this very late in the morning of dec 17 because I could sleep and that’s how I came across this site. The clinic I went to is ( a place where they can see me withought insurance) and the doctor looked at it, and gave me a shot to the butt and a antibiotics ..metronidazole 500 MG tablets and some sulfameth/trimethoprim tablets. I barely started taking the meds last night (dec 16) so literly its been a week and now I’m begging to take the meds.

I refuse to try and poke the scabs now. They develop new puss everyday. And they hurt to the touch. So I’m just cleaning them with alcohol and paraxyde but when I wipe them with the alcohol and paraxyde they immidietly automatically without me squeezing the bite …they start oozing out puss and blood. This is a very horrible thing to go through and I just want it to go away. The doctor gave me the medication to take and he said that as long as I take the meds and get rest and clean it often with paroxyde and alcohol and neosporin that it should heal along with taking the medication …and that I wouldn’t need to get it cut and opened to drain anything out cus he said the meds will do all the work… but I still feel worried.

I’m going to continue taking my meds the doctor prescribed and clean the bite as much as I can (not squeezing or poping it) but rubbing some alcohol and paraxyde on it finishing it off with some neosporin covered with a bandage. I haven’t tried the raw potatoe or the hot warm rag but I will be trying that tomm. I’ve tried the bread soaked in milk and the baking soda paste, infortunately I didn’t see any positive results but maybe its because I didn’t keep it on long enough so I will resume with all them ideas tomm but besides these remedies I still feel like time is major right now and I really hope these meds work and heal my bites. But something doesn’t feel right…what if the meds don’t work and I waisted 10 days (days the the prescription is good for). I’m afraid that it will worsen. I guess for now I’m just going to take my meds.

but does anybody have a comment or opinion or question or feedback or any kind of help they could help me with? There’s a lot of users on here with busy lives but if you guys can I would really appreciate it if I can get some feedback if I’m doing something wrong or if you guys have any questions for me. Any kind of help would really help me relax and not panic.

Thank you.

Austinsays:

I think I got bit by one on my armpit and I now have 10 red bumps. It has a fowl smell to it to and some parts are starting to get a bit black. What should I do? Please help!

Kurtsays:

My workplace is crawling with spiders.
I was bitten by a spider which had a web over the garbage bin when I was changing the bag on my job around 4AM one month ago. My 1st action was to remove the fang (I slapped my forearm when I felt the bite). Next I sucked my skin for 10 minutes to draw the poison into the tissue of my forearm so that it would not enter my bloodstream. My arm got swollen from wrist to elbow. When I got home at about 8AM I used a remedy which I had read about. (Here, I have adjusted the wording while giving the information for copyright reasons.)

–Dried, powdered Cayenne pepper is a powerful agent. You can drink it as a remedy for black widow spider bites. To 5 oz of warm water add 1 teaspoon of Cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey. The honey is not essential if it’s not immediately available, but the apple cider vinegar is. Drink this soon after being bitten. This should not replace medical attention, although stories say that some people who use this remedy after being bitten by a black widow, when they went to the hospital, showed no sign or symptom of being bitten. Take note that with black widow spider bites this remedy can be used even after you start to get stomach cramping or the place of bite gets numb, swollen and painful.–

When I took the first gulp of this hot formula I felt as though I wanted to vomit; so I ate a slice of bread to hold it down. I work nights and hadn’t eaten at all. I finished the rest within a few minutes in 3 more gulps. I think the thing is to finish the glass all together so that it will be absorbed into your blood in potent form. My swelling went down within 2 days and all I remained with was a little mosquito-bite-sized pimple and an area of discoloration around it the size of a half dollar. I had a slight itching in the area around it for several days, no pain, but I still have the little pimple.

Another remedy, this one from southern France (Europe) is for snake bite. Butcher’s Broom, an herb, is used by mountain shepherds to build up resistance against Viper bites. Scientists researching the Broom tops (I guess the upper leaves) found a property called “Spartein” which detoxify the venom. The mixed protein structure which comprise the deadly poison is broken up in the presence of Spartein. Shepherds drink a 1/2 cup of Broom tea daily for several months to build immunity. A regular daily 3 to 5 capsules of broom should give protection against the bite of a rattlesnake. Butcher’s Broom is known to sweep poisons out of your system.

Do researches in Europe and the UK for alternative remedies using less popular search engines– spider engines (no pun) & web-bots. Alternative medicine is much more advanced there.
Blessings.

Stephanie Zemansays:

Jorge – (cat died from necrotic wounds; dog with similar symptoms). The spider you have shown is a wolf spider. There are 2000 species of wolf spider and not one of them are poisonous. This spider is not your culprit. It sounds as though your pets are getting bit by a recluse. There are several different types of recluses as well as widows. You can go to and look through the list. They have every known and unknown species that a person could possibly find. I hope this helps and I do not know when you posted this hopefully not too long ago.

Heathersays:

My husband and I have been bitten a time or two by a spider, not sure what kind. My stepdad told us to heat up a bit of milk to boiling, and soak a small piece of bread in it, then place the milked bread (cooled a bit) onto spider bite and put bandage or gauze on it for the day or night. We did this, and IMMEDIATELY I started to feel the pull of the poison. By morning, the core had surfaced and was waiting to be wiped away.

Currently, my husband got bit by a brown recluse while working out of state. He continued on everyday like it was nothing. It became HUGE as a golf ball and red and hot. He sent me a picture and I told him it looked like it could be from a brown recluse. The ER doc told him cut and squeeze. Well, one of his co-workers told him about the potato. So tonight after he came home I wrapped half a potato on the bite with gauze and the wrap thing. He said he could feel the poison immediately pulling up from his arm and shoulder blades (He got bit on the underside of his arm by his armpit). So we’ll see how the potato works tonight. If it’s not better tomorrow, we’re doing bread and milk like I suggested.

alexissays:

Okay, I’m really scared because i have this big red thing on my neck below my ear and it keeps getting bigger its red and it itches i’m getting ready to do all the steps to it just in case it is a spider bite my friend said it was not a spider bite but i saw the pics and it looks like one so can you help me?

Elizabethsays:

Hiya! i think my mom has a spider bite, She keeps saying: Oh its a brown recluse!!! it is!!!! and im like: lets just see well of course its too teeth marks she said she saw like black things in it, Almost like it’s fangs She was only watering her plant and i read most of you guy’s that you were outside so lets just be warned and i was too like last year but it was just like a little normal spider someone respond soon i want my mommy better XD

Elizabeth, With a frown ='(

Suzannesays:

My daughter has a bad spider bite, right on her bottom. She was so embarrassed she didn’t tell me for a week, and by then the bite was huge and red and very painful. I started putting a poultice of comfrey, goldenseal and slippery elm on the bite. You can buy this at health food stores. Sometimes the mixture is called “People Putty” and sometimes it’s just called “CGS Compound”. It draws out infection, but I think it it were used right away it would draw out the venom, too. I mix the dry herbs with water until it’s a the same substance as putty, and place it directly over the bite, and then bandage it. We’ve been changing the poultice and the bandage 3-4 times a day, and it’s draining well. I clean the site with peroxide before putting a new poultice and bandage on it. She says it’s feeling better. The amount of pus and blood that’s draining out is a little alarming, but the bite does look better.

Lennysays:

I recently got bit by a spider (species unknown) and although it is relatively small I do recognize some of the symptoms listed here, warm to the touch, it hurts a little, and its an open lesion. It was leaking out this clear liquid but not so much… and I can’t even lay on the side where I got it (on my left side kinda in the middle between my hip bone and my breast). I tried the raw potato remedy and it kinda worked. but I’ve just been cleaning it with peroxide and applying neosporin. I sent a picture.

Savannahsays:

I am very shocked and scared to see what is wrong with me.

about 5 days ago i was mulching for some extra money we were using black mulch and i noticed spiders crawling around in it. they were about the size of your thumb nail. i was wearing jeans and i thought i would be safe but waking up the next morning i quickly realized i wasn’t!

there was a big red bump on the worst place ever! my butt!

i knew this couldn’t be from anything else because it was obvious i was sitting in spiders. i told my family and we have no medical insurance so i haven’t sought medical attention by a doctor. i applied neosporen and cream for drawing and stopping infections but in the past three days its been getting worse and worse. the bite is very hard and very swollen, you can tell directly where the spider bit me and how the swelling and hardness travels away from the bite. the pain is HORRIBLE and i can barley take it anymore, after reading this site i am willing to try some of the treatments but i would like some more options.

please and thank you
Savannah,

Clara McDadesays:

I sit with an elderly lady at night, last night Saturday August 14, 2010, I was sitting with the lady, and notice spider coming down out of the ceiling, hit at it. Possibly got bit, also spider web in the corner of her house. Also late that night I witness a large cock roach flying from the ceiling, I could not find out where he landed, too much stuff in the house.

My face is red, dripping some with pulse. I was bit next to my lip. It is swollen, and it hurts. What should I do?

I cleaned it with alcohol, and put some baking soda on it.

Vanessa Brownsays:

I went traveling to Missouri, then back home through Oaklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, back to San Diego. I found a small bite at the top of my pelvic area, there were two puncture blood spots, but it started out the size of a large mosquito bite, within three days, it turned into a very tender large boil, and you could see the pus underneath it. I went to the doctors on the third day, they said unless they see the spider they don’t consider it a spider bite. They lanced it the first night and squeezed the pus out. This was on Tuesday night, I went back thursday, and they changed the gauze, they thought it was an ingrown hair and that I had a staph infection, well, the staph culture came back negative and so did MRSA, it is the painfulest thing to touch in my life, especially where it is at, I have to wear sweatpants that don’t push on it. It is still swollen the size of a large seedless grape, and the ooze keeps coming.

They do have me on Septra twice a day. I was sick for four days after my first laceration, and second gauze change. Since it is so close to my bladder the doctor didn’t want to lacerate too far down so he pulled up the infection and then lacerated it. I swear it was a spider that hopped in my suitcase during my trip. I wish I would have taken photos from beginning to finish but I didn’t. The doctor hasn’t seen any improvement even after lacerating it, so tomorrow I go in again early and if it is still swollen as deep as it is, he thinks there are more pus pockets further down. It has been hell being sick. Everytime I get out of bed my blood pressure drops and I get dizzy, and my fever has been 99.3 up to 101.9 in one day even with taking ibuprofin. I have to take Norco, just to deal with the pain. Any suggestions?

Cecilia Bsays:

I got bit by a spider last night. It’s two punctures and the night before a spider was on my neck and I hit it so hard my hand was wet and all I saw was a long leg on the bed. I don’t know what it looks like. My son said he thinks it’s the tiny red spiders. He saw one in the garage and one in the kitchen. But the leg that I saw must be from a bigger spider. Anyhow.I have been itching a lot all over and there is a big rash around my neck which itches a lot and my lips are numb. Can you help?

marysays:

I got bitten by what I believe to be a Brown Recluse in my sleep 5 years ago. I did not notice the bite until driving a day later. My arm and wrist were tingling and very achy. I later noticed a bite near my elbow. I found the crushed spider on the floor where I was sleeping. I didn’t think much of it and unfortunately, I did not go to the doctor. I treated it at home with a compress and topical ointment. The bite never got necrotic.

It was just a bump on my arm until a year later. During winter, the constant friction of my sweaters must have rubbed some poison back into my system. The bite swelled up like a boil. For about 2 months, I had a painful boil.

I didn’t have insurance so I avoided the doctor. Instead I treated it with a variety of homeopathic remedies. I tried cumin, garlic, baking soda, plantain salvs, potato slice and more. The POTATO SLICE actually reduced the swelling and gave me the most relief.

The swelling went down, but it left a white bump about 2 cm on my arm. It is very obvious and I’ve been self conscious about it.

I want to do something about it and will look into the cortisone shot.

I did get a sample of Methl Sulfonyl Methane (MSM) to treat it recently. Hopefully, it helps.

Carole Newmansays:

I live in Western West Virginia. Yesterday, I sat down at my computer desk. I had a pair of shorts on at the time, when all of a sudden I felt a horrible sting, kind of like a bee sting, but even worse. I yelled out….”ouch”, and just than I felt another sting in the same place. It felt as though someone was sticking straight pins in the back of my right leg.

I have always found oil of oregano to be very helpful because it is an anti-toxin. I ran out to the kitchen and took three capsules. It just kept stinging like a bee sting for several hours. There was a red puffy place for about an hour, and then the swelling went completely down. I put ice on it, and figured it was ok because there was no swelling. I looked all around my computer desk, in my shorts, etc., but did not see any spiders or bees on the floor. All night long, the place on my leg had a terrible itch, but there is no distinct place, it just itches. Should I just assume the itching will stop on its own or should I tell the doctor. I have no fever around it and no markings, just itching.

Any advice would be appreciated.

alisays:

i went camping recently and i got many mosquito bites, and i had tennis shoes and ankle socks on. i thought i had a mosquito bite under my sock, but was too careless to look at it. later when i went home i checked it out. it is a spider bite and a mosquito bite in one, the mos. bite is rite next to the spider bite. the spider left two red holes, leaving my bites raised and itchy and red. any help?

christopher esquibelsays:

All my life I have been bitten by spiders and i have only been to the doctors twice to get help with them because the bumps was to big and there wasn’t a scab. Anyways i have always found that fixing the problem has easy bu painful. i would let the bumps get big and then once the volcano like scab areas i cut the scab and squeeze it. pus will come out of it and then that’s when you put peroxide and let it bubble and then you finish up with alcohol. squeezing helps so does the alcohol. one more thing you have to watch out for the big volcano like bits because i had one as deep as my pinky and i have to pull out a pus bubble in order to start the healing process.

Barb Wellmansays:

A poltice made of sage (like you use in your turkey dressing) and water will do wonders for a spider bite. Another good poltice is to take a piece of bread and soak it in milk, and cover the bite or infection, hold in place with a bandage for both treatments. Of course, if things get worse or you are having an allergic reaction, go to the Doctor, but in the meanwhile, this will not hurt anything. I have used these many, many times, and I am here to tell you that they work.

Jeansays:

Kenia- posting #10 – It sounds to me as if you guys might have bedbugs!!! For bedbug information, go to badbedbugs.com. It’s the best site I’ve stumbled across for accurate information and identification.

I’m glad I stumbled across this site regarding spiders because the place we are in right now ~does~ have Brown Recluse spiders. We haven’t been bitten yet, thank God, but are very paranoid because the landlord says “It’s just another spider!” (Yes, sir, just another ~poisonous~ spider!) Between the bedbugs, spiders, millipedes, and various other insects this place is teeming with, it’s good to know that there are products like the suction one mentioned in this article. I’ll look for one next time I’m in Walmart!!!

Evansays:

If you’re out away from doctors or a hospital, the best thing to do is baking soda and water – make a paste, and keep reapplying. It will form a scab and drain in a few days. That will take much of the swelling and venom away – maybe not all, but A LOT. The redness is inclined to hang around for months, until new skin replaces old skin. Forget the amputations. They’re not necessary. Also – apply the baking soda paste mixture AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. The sooner you can do this, the more misery you’ll bypass. Good luck all.

Davesays:

Got bit by a brown spider (not a recluse) on the left inside knee while sleeping. Have a small blister 1/4″ long, 1/8″ wide in the center of a 2.5″x3.5″ pink area. Itched.

Figured I got bit by something. Put cold ice pack on it for an hour, got rid of the itching. Made up a poultice of golden seal root and honey, put it on a band aid, put it over the blister, and went to sleep…

Next morning, the blister was about 1/8″ high, but seemed clear. pink area was less pink. Took a sterile needle, pricked the blister and drained out clear fluid.

Made another poultice like before, put that on the wound… Later that evening, pink area is much less pink, blister is dried out, little crusty. Cleaned the area, changed bandage/poultice…

Honey is an anti-bacterial/anti-fungal. Golden seal is a blood purifier, draws out infection… Works great…

Jadesays:

I think I got bit on my neck from a spider. This happened Sunday night while I was sleeping. Woke up Monday morning and it was so itchy. Of course, I scratched it thinking it was a mosquito bite. Well, now it’s swollen and red. It still itches like crazy and it hurts a lot. I don’t know what to do to get rid of it. it’s a bite right where the Adams apple would be on a male. Thank you. I’ll send a pic soon.

annsays:

I woke up last Fri. with red, swollen foot, the top of my foot. As the day progressed my foot got more swollen and more painful. I was away from home and didn’t have all the usual remedies at my disposal. I started applying tea tree oil, and taking an anti inflammatory in high doses. Saturday and Sunday it was really painful and very swollen and hard for me to walk. I came home Sun. night and also applied tea tree oil to the area, besides the lavender oil. (these are high grade essential oils, with anti bacterial, anti biotic properties) It is now Tues, and it hasn’t gotten worse. I am still taking high doses of an anti inflammatory (a natural one, containing boswellin, curcumin, ginger root extract, and bromelain) also I am going to start taking garlic in Kyolic form and ecchinacea. I hope this is of help to anyone who needs it.

sandrasays:

I had a rash appear all over my neck, chest and stomach. The doctor told me that with the rash and the blood work he did that I have lupus, but he wanted a skin biopsy to confirm lupus. I had the biopsy and went to get the results. The dermatologist came in and said he could not believe what the results were. He said they found spider venom. I have had a spider bite sometime, but I don’t know when.

I have had the rash about two years. The doctors think the venom damaged my skin so when I get in the sun it brings it out. The lupus medicine has help with the rash. I can not stay on the lupus medicine much longer,due to the fact it affects eye site.I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem.

chirellesays:

OK so I have had pimples and this looks just like one but i think its a black widow bite I had been in a friends car when he had a bunch of old signs in the back seat well I was getting off the car when i saw this huge black widow and i got scared i tried to flick it off but it kept running towards my neck area i then jumped out of the car and my friend killed it we both saw it the biggest back widow i ever saw i then got a little freaked out so i discover a bite on the bottom of my chin i started looking at it and it looked looks like a pimple but hurts like its not just a pimple my friend says its a pimple.

so this morning i woke up and tried to pop it it pusses out white like a pimple but now it seems to be getting bigger so i have no insurance i am 23 and broke i am freaked out because i was bitten a few yrs ago n the knee and i had to go to the emergency i couldn’t breathe but now i am not sure what to do without medical insurance please help

Christy Leesays:

PLAESE HELP ME PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ……. ok. one year ago i was bitten on the hand and i didn’t see the spider but the two little holes were there. i developed a rash that if untreated with cortaid cream will look like poision ivy … my problem is that one year later the rash comes back every time i sweat or get my blood circulating .. is there a doctor that can help me and what do i tell them i need. i live in mississippi and the dr here cant figure out what my rash is from …